Tesla Motors' Model S to Feature NVIDIA Tegra Processors

LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwire - January 4, 2011) - CES 2011 ­-- NVIDIA announced today that NVIDIA® Tegra™ processors will power the infotainment, navigation and instrument-cluster systems in the Tesla Model S, the first sedan built from the ground up as an electric vehicle. Built around the driver, the Model S is the premium sedan, evolved. Its infotainment system features a 17-inch touch-screen center console -- the largest display ever in a car -- providing vivid 3D graphics.

In addition to its unrivaled graphics capability, the Tegra processor provides exceptional energy efficiency, a critically important feature for electric cars. One processor will be used to power the infotainment and navigation systems, and another for the instrument cluster.

The infotainment and navigation systems feature:

17-inch high resolution display, the largest display ever in a car

Responsive touchscreen with a fully intuitive user interface

Connected navigation with live traffic, points of interest and weather

Touchscreen-based climate-control system

The all-digital instrument cluster features:

Ultra high-resolution, driver-friendly 12.3" LCD display

Advanced 3D graphics providing data about the vehicle

CES 2011 attendees will be able to view the Model S outside the Las Vegas Convention Center in the Central Plaza, booth # CP7.

Visit NVIDIA's booth in South Hall 3, booth # 31431 to learn about how NVIDIA is working with Tesla Motors to bring visual computing to tomorrow's cars.

Quotes:

"Model S is designed for performance-oriented efficiency. NVIDIA allows us to use the highest graphics with the lowest energy use."
- JB Straubel, chief technology officer at Tesla Motors

"The Model S is a modern marvel -- a blend of beauty, performance and efficiency. Tegra's combination of graphics power and energy efficiency make it a perfect match for the Model S."
- Dan Vivoli, senior vice president at NVIDIA

About TegraNVIDIA Tegra is the world's first mobile superchip, with eight dedicated computing cores. These include the ARM Cortex-A9 CPU, the world's only ultra-low power NVIDIA GeForce® GPU and the world's first mobile 1080p HD video processor.

These features enable it to offer extremely realistic 3D graphics and advanced multimedia functionality and premium-quality accelerated user interfaces. Its auto-grade version has undergone specific testing for the automotive market and passed the industry-standard AEC-100 qualification for reliability, adhering to certain operating temperature ranges. It also offers a complete toolset for engineers to quickly build visually-appealing user interfaces.

About NVIDIANVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) awakened the world to the power of computer graphics when it invented the GPU in 1999. Since then, it has consistently set new standards in visual computing with breathtaking, interactive graphics available on devices ranging from tablets and portable media players to notebooks and workstations. NVIDIA's expertise in programmable GPUs has led to breakthroughs in parallel processing which make supercomputing inexpensive and widely accessible. The Company holds more than 1,600 patents worldwide, including ones covering designs and insights that are essential to modern computing. For more information, see www.nvidia.com.

ABOUT TESLA MOTORSTesla's goal is to produce increasingly affordable electric cars to mainstream buyers - relentlessly driving down the cost of EVs. Palo Alto, California-based Tesla has delivered more than 1,400 Roadsters to customers in North America, Europe and Asia. Tesla designs, develops, manufactures and sells EVs and EV powertrain components. The Tesla Roadster accelerates faster than most sports cars yet produces no emissions.
(NASDAQ: TSLA)

Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to statements as to: the benefits, features and impact of the Tegra processor; and the effects of the company's patents on modern computing are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause results to be materially different than expectations. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include: global economic conditions; our reliance on third parties to manufacture, assemble, package and test our products; the impact of technological development and competition; development of faster or more efficient technology; design, manufacturing or software defects; changes in consumer preferences or demands; changes in industry standards and interfaces; unexpected loss of performance of our products or technologies when integrated into systems; as well as other factors detailed from time to time in the reports NVIDIA files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including its Form 10-Q for the fiscal period ended October 31, 2010. Copies of reports filed with the SEC are posted on the company's website and are available from NVIDIA without charge. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and speak only as of the date hereof, and, except as required by law, NVIDIA disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.